A Philosopher
“The web of our life is of mingled yarn, good and ill together,” says Shakespeare. It behooves us therefore to find the good and to make the best of the ill. Two men were falling from an aeroplane. “I’ll bet you five dollars,” said one, “that I hit the ground first.”
To take things as they be—
Thet’s my philosophy.
No use to holler, mope, or cuss—
If they was changed they might be wuss.
If rain is pourin’ down,
An’ lightnin’ buzzin’ roun’,
I ain’t a-fearin’ we’ll be hit,
But grin thet I ain’t out in it.
If I got deep in debt—
It hasn’t happened yet—
And owed a man two dollars, Gee!
Why I’d be glad it wasn’t three.
If some one come along,
And tried to do me wrong,
Why I should sort of take a whim
To thank the Lord I wasn’t him.
I never seen a night
So dark there wasn’t light
Somewheres about if I took care
To strike a match and find out where.
John Kendrick Bangs.
From “Songs of Cheer.”